Steering the country in the right direction — as one

It is self-evident that a weak political system serves as an open invitation to military involvement in politics itself. Our country has found itself confined to this damaging trend since independence was won in 1948. The role of the army in shaping politics will remain embedded in our collective memories as a cautionary tale long after it comes to an end.
It was in 2010 that we first embarked on the transition to democracy, following a series of mass demonstrations that swept the nation. The onus is now on civic and political forces to take every step necessary to maintain the momentum of reform in our nascent democracy.
Judging from social media, it is clear that the majority of the people pinned high hopes for change to occur within a specific party. Yet on the other hand, investing too much faith in potential reformers is tantamount to placing the entire burden of steering the country in the right direction on that entity.
If we remain impassive during the process of political and democratic reforms, Myanmar will not find a way out of the political morass. If we all want the future president to bring about change for the better, the change must begin with individual members of society. We need change to our mindset before it is too late; before things get beyond our control.